He gently slipped off her glasses, and she regarded him through droopy lids. “You stopped,” she said, her voice a husky whisper. “Why?”
“As I told you the last time we found ourselves in each others’ arms, my ability to resist you is only so strong, and I’m afraid I’ve reached my limit.”
For several heartbeats the only sound in the room was the mingling of their ragged breaths. Then, with her gaze steady on his, she whispered, “And as I asked you the last time we found ourselves in each others’ arms, what if I don’t want you to resist?”
Reaching out, he brushed back a wayward curl from her forehead with fingers that shook. “The selfish part of me that wants you so badly wouldn’t give you a chance to think or change your mind. But the part of me that cares for you, that doesn’t want to hurt you in any way, would find it necessary to ask if you’ve considered all the ramifications. All the consequences. Because they are numerous. Much more so for you than for me.”
“I have. Indeed, as much as I’ve tried not to, over the past week I’ve thought of little else.”
“Sarah…as my situation stands right now, I have nothing to offer you. And as much as I might wish it otherwise, the chances of my situation changing by finding the money is very poor.”
“I know that it is your duty to marry an heiress. I understand that you’re leaving here in four days’ time and we’ll most likely never see each other again after that. I’m aware that pregnancy could be a risk, but I also know from whispers I’ve heard that there are ways to prevent it. And I’m hopeful you know of those ways…?”
At his nod, she continued, “I realize that by giving myself to you I’ll render myself unmarriageable.” Reaching up, she framed his face between her palms. “But you wouldn’t be taking anything away from me, as I’d never planned to marry. Indeed, I’m already considered an unmarriageable spinster and have been for years. I accepted long ago that marriage and children were not in my future. I’d planned to live out my life doing what I’ve always done—sketching, taking care of my garden and my pets, enjoying my friendships, my relationship with Carolyn. You are the first, nay, the only man who has ever wanted me.”
Her bottom lip trembled and his heart rolled over at the sight. This woman, with her imperfect features that were somehow so perfect, and her utter lack of vanity, inspired something in him, a tenderness that no one else ever had. Looking at her now, so vulnerable, so soft-eyed, yet so earnest, he couldn’t imagine any man who wouldn’t want her.
“Matthew…you’ve awakened feelings and desires and passions I’d never thought to experience. Never knew existed. Even if it is just for tonight, I want to experience again the magic you made me feel before. I want to make you feel that same intense pleasure. I want to experience everything I can. Just this once. With you.”
Matthew laid his hand over hers, which rested on his cheek, then turned his head to press his lips against her palm. He wanted to tell her that more than anything he wanted those very same things. Just this once. With her. But such a lengthy speech was beyond him. So he said the only word he could manage.
“Sarah…”
Heart pounding so hard it felt as if it would bruise his ribs, he took her hands and led her to the bed.
“Stay right there,” he said softly.
One corner of her lips quirked upward. “I’ve no intention of running away.”
He placed her spectacles on the night table, then set about lighting every candle and lamp in the room. After he’d lit the first two, she asked, “Wh-What are you doing?”
“Giving us more light.”
She gave a nervous laugh. “Darkness is a great beauty equalizer, you know.”
He didn’t comment until he’d finished, until the entire room was illuminated with a golden warm glow that resembled a summer morning. Then he returned to her and clasped her hands, entwining their fingers.
“You’re beautiful, Sarah. Inside. Outside. Everywhere. I want to see all you of you. Every expression. Every pleasure. Every inch of soft skin.” He raised their joined hands and kissed her fingers. “Unless you’d prefer not to see me?”
She shook her head. “Oh, no. I want to see everything.” She cleared her throat. “Of course, without benefit of my spectacles, I’ll need to get close. Very close.”
A chuckle rumbled in his chest. He couldn’t imagine anyone other than her amusing him at this moment. “You may get as close as you like. Consider me at your disposal.”
Interest flared in her eyes. “A most intriguing invitation, especially for a person who possesses a great thirst for knowledge.”
“Delighted to help in any way I can.” He turned her hand and touched his tongue to the center of her palm, loving the way her pupils dilated at the gesture. “Any possibility you’d make me a similar offer?”
“I thought I already had.”
He smiled. “Ah. So you did. In that case…” He released her hands and turned his attention to her delightfully mussed hair. After slipping off the white satin bow that held together the ends of her haphazard braid, he slowly separated the thick strands until they surrounded her in a mass of riotous curls whose ends brushed her hips.
“If only I were an artist,” he murmured, sifting his fingers through her magnificent hair. The gilded light picked up every subtle shade of amber and brown in the glossy strands. “I’d paint you just like this. And put Botticelli’s Venus to shame.”
When she appeared about to protest, he shot her a mock warning glare. She pressed her lips together then said, “Thank you.”
“Excellent. You are a most apt pupil.”
“Again I thank you. And point out that I’m eager to learn more.”
“How extremely fortunate for me.” He applied his fingers to the row of small buttons that ran halfway down the front of her night rail. He slowly flicked them open, savoring each inch of skin as it was revealed. After opening the last button, he slipped the material off her shoulders. White cotton glided down her body to pool at her feet, leaving her dressed in only her drawers, a garment he quickly saw join her night rail. Taking her hand, he helped her step from the mound of her clothing, then allowed his gaze to skim down her naked form.
Bloody hell, she was all blushing ivory skin and soft feminine curves, and she stole his breath. He knew he needed to go slow, to gently seduce her, and he certainly wanted that—for both of them. But it was going to prove a challenge to remain in control with his body so strongly opposed to the wait.
Touching a single fingertip to the hollow of her throat, he slowly dragged his hand downward, lightly tracing the fascinating patterns of pale gold dots on her skin. There were hundreds of them, each one a delight to be explored.
“I didn’t notice these freckles before,” he said, circling a particularly fascinating one just above her nipple. “By mere firelight they aren’t visible, but now…” He leaned down to touch his lips to the gilt-kissed spot. “…they are a sight not to be missed.”
“Oh, my…” she murmured as his tongue swirled around her taut nipple. “Might you have any pale freckles I could explore?”
He lifted his head to brush his lips across hers. “There is only one way to find out.”
Straightening, he started to unfasten his shirt, but she laid her hands on top of his. “May I?” she asked.
Her request both aroused and intrigued him. Although inexperienced, his Sarah clearly didn’t lack courage, nor did she plan on remaining passive.
His Sarah. The words reverberated through his mind, and his inner voice coughed to life to inform him that she wasn’t his. Would never, could never, be his.
In the realm of forever, that was indeed true. However, for this night she was his. And he was hers. And that would have to be enough.
He lowered his hands to his sides. “As I said, I am at your disposal.”
“That is indeed lovely. Except…I’m not quite certain what to do with you.”
He laughed. “You’re off to an inspired start.
Don’t lose your nerve now. Take off my shirt.”
She nodded, and although she fumbled at bit, she managed to open his shirt and pull the tails from his breeches. Placing her hands on his chest, she slowly separated the material, then pushed it over his shoulders and down his arms, where it joined the heap of her garments.
She stepped closer and her breasts brushed against him. Before he could recover from that shocking pleasure, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to the center of his chest.
“I don’t see any freckles here,” she said, her breath warm against his skin.
She kissed her way across his chest in gentle nibbles while her hands skimmed up and down his back. A low rumble of approval vibrated in his throat. Her hands on him just felt so…incredibly…good.
Not wanting to interrupt her exploration but unable to keep from touching her, he rested his hands on her hips and lightly kneaded her supple flesh.
He watched her kiss her way across his chest, then, with her lips hovering above his nipple, she asked, “Is it safe to say that if I find something highly pleasurable, you would as well?”
“Absolutely—” His answer ended with a quick intake of breath when her tongue swirled around his nipple. Bloody hell, she was an apt pupil. He closed his eyes, instantly imagining all the things he planned to do to her—and her responding in kind. The mere thought shaved several more layers off his rapidly diminishing control. Not a good sign, as he hadn’t even removed his breeches yet.
After kissing her way back again, she lifted her head and reported, “I discovered only three freckles and one small scar. Right here.” She ran her finger over the faded mark. “How did that happen?”
“As a pudgy, clumsy youth, I found out the hard way that I wasn’t good at climbing trees. There’s another scar on the back of my thigh, courtesy of that same tumble.” He heaved an exaggerated put-upon sigh. “I suppose you’ll want to see that scar as well.”
“If it’s not too much trouble,” she answered in a prim tone.
“I’ll attempt not to complain overly much.”
He sat on the bed and pulled off his boots, then stood. Holding his hands out to his sides, he flicked his gaze down to his obviously tented breeches, then murmured, “Have at it.”
In that extremely apt way of hers that he was coming to appreciate more and more with each passing second, she quickly figured out the way of things and unfastened the front placard of his breeches. With his straining erection finally free of the confines of the snug material, he helped her remove the garment. After tossing it on their pile of discarded clothing, he stood before her and allowed her to look her fill, as she’d allowed him.
“Oh, my,” she whispered, her gaze riveted on his jutting arousal, which seemed to swell further under her avid scrutiny. She slowly extended her hand, and his entire body tightened in anticipation of her touch. “May I?” she asked.
“I may actually expire if you don’t,” he said through gritted teeth.
Her fingers brushed over him, and his eyes slammed shut at the intense rush of pleasure. Bloody hell. She’d barely touched him and already he’d forgotten how to breathe.
“You’re so hard,” she said, her voice filled with wonder as her fingers danced over him.
“You have no idea.”
“Yet so silky smooth.”
Opening his eyes, he watched her fingers lightly encircle him, a sight that all but smote him where he stood. When she gently squeezed, a low growl escaped him. Looking into his eyes, she gave him another gentle squeeze, which elicited another groan.
“You seem to like that,” said his very apt pupil.
“You have no idea.”
Sheer delight glittered in her eyes, and she continued her explorations, each caress sweet torture. He skimmed his hands upward to tease her taut nipples. “It occurs to me that you’re doing more exploring than I am,” he said, his voice sounding as if he’d swallowed gravel.
“’Tis only fair. If you’ll recall our last encounter in my bedchamber, you’ve already touched more of me.”
One hand trailed down to brush over the dark curls at the apex of her thighs. Her breathing hitched at the caress, and he said, “I’m not likely to ever forget without benefit of a severe coshing.”
She flashed a teasing grin and arched her body back, away from his fingers. “There will be none of that—not while I’m exploring. It’s far too distracting. While you are clearly experienced in these matters, I am not. I’m merely attempting to catch up a bit so as not to bore you.”
“I assure you, there is no…ahhh…” Damn. Inexperienced though her touch might be, it was driving him to the brink of insanity. “No chance of me being bored. Although I seriously don’t know how much more of that I can take.”
A slow smile curved her lips, and her eyes danced with mischief. “Then I must be doing it correctly. Because that is precisely how you made me feel.”
“I believe I detect a bit of the revenge seeker in you, Sarah. It is an aspect of your nature I wasn’t previously aware of.”
“If I recall correctly, revenge is exactly what you were seeking the last time you entered my bedchamber. Hmmm…to quote a very wise man who, oddly enough, greatly resembles you, ‘Finding fault with someone else for faults that are conspicuously their own…I believe that it is referred to as the pot calling the kettle black.’”
The entire time she spoke, her fingers never ceased their maddening strokes, and he now stood in jeopardy of spilling into her hands. “This talent you have of recalling my words verbatim—I’m not sure I like it.”
Her smile widened, deepening her dimples. “When the words are used against you, I’m certain you don’t. But, as I’ve discovered, you do like this…”
She stroked her fingers along his aching length, and with a groan, he reached down and stilled her hand. “That’s all I can take.”
“Very well. I’ll see if I can find that other scar you mentioned.”
He wanted to simply snatch her against him, pin her beneath him, and put out this fire raging through his veins. But one look at the budding passion and discovery gleaming in her eyes, and he couldn’t deny her. Fisting his hands at his sides and praying for strength, he again said, “Have at it.”
Her fingers slid from his erection and he breathed a sigh of relief as she slowly walked around to stand behind him. His relief was short-lived, however, when she lightly circled her fingertips over the small of his back.
“You told me that this is one of the most sensitive spots on a woman’s body.” Her warm breath blew across his shoulders, tensing them. “Is it one of the most sensitive for a man as well?”
Bloody hell. It was one thing for him to stand still and allow her to explore, but quite another to attempt answering questions. Her fingers skimmed over his lower spine again. It felt as if every muscle in his body jumped in response. Gritting his teeth against the tingling pleasure, he ground out, “Seems so.”
“Interesting. Now where is that scar?” Her fingers cruised lower, tickling over his buttocks and the backs of his thighs. A shudder ran through him, and he knew his control was about to snap.
Her arms came around his waist and she stepped close behind him, pressing her front again his back. The feel of her skin touching his from shoulder to knee, while her hands skimmed over his abdomen…one more touch and—
Her fingers grazed the tip of his erection, and he was done. He turned and in one fluid motion scooped her up in his arms and deposited her on the counterpane, where she landed with a gentle bounce. He climbed onto the bed, gently parted her thighs then knelt between them. He drew a careful breath at the sight of her glistening sex, and reaching out, lightly caressed the swollen, wet folds.
A long sigh escaped her and she squirmed against his hand. She was ready. Thank God, because he couldn’t wait any longer.
He settled himself between her splayed thighs then lowered his mouth to hers for a long, deep kiss, his tongue matching the slow, teasing glide of the he
ad of his penis along her wet cleft. Slowly lifting his head to end the kiss, he looked down into her beautiful, wide eyes and felt his heart shift. “As you are so fond of asking—may I?”
“As you are so fond of answering—I may expire if you don’t.”
He propped his weight on his forearms and watched her face as he slowly entered her, absorbing every nuance of her expression. When he reached the barrier of her maidenhead, he paused for an instant, then thrust. Her eyes widened and she gasped.
“Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No. Just…surprised me.”
Buried to the hilt in her exquisitely tight, wet heat, Matthew struggled to remain still. When he could no longer do so, he rocked his hips slightly. Again her eyes widened.
“Oh, my…Do that again.”
“My pleasure.”
Bloody hell, there he was, uttering another huge understatement. With his gaze on hers, he withdrew nearly all the way from her body then slowly sank deep into her slick heat. Again, again, long delicious slides into her body that clamped around him like a velvet fist.
Her breathing deepened, quickened, her eyes slid shut and her lips parted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and moved beneath him, awkwardly at first, but it didn’t take her long to match his rhythm. He watched her arousal build and fought to keep his own in check. His thrusts lengthened, quickened, deepened, until she cried out and arched beneath him.
The instant her rippling tremors subsided, he withdrew, an effort that nearly killed him. With his body pressed tightly against hers, his release thundered through him, racking jolts of pleasure that dragged a long groan from his very soul. Utterly spent, he collapsed on top of her, buried his face in the fragrant warmth of her neck and closed his eyes.
When his breathing had slowed to something that resembled normal, he lifted his head. And found her looking up at him through glowing eyes.
“Oh, my,” she whispered. “That was…”
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